SHSND Home > North Dakota History > Unit 4: Building a New State, 1878 - 1914 > Set 5: The Private Lives of Teenagers > Dorry's Diary - Part 2

Unit 4: Set 5: The Private Lives of Teenagers - Dorry's Diary - Part 2

Introduction | Dorry's Diary | Roberts' Diary | Activity 1 | Activity 2 | Additional Resources

Dorry Shaw Intro | Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Sun-20.
A. Byork kid was over while I was still in bed and waited for me, we went up to see our traps, but nothing doing, on[e] was set off but there wasn’t anything in it.
We took our traps home, and A. Boyok kid said he was coming out with me this afternoon.
He didn't though I went with Curtis and I got 2 stripes and 1 corron which make me about 15 now, was fishing Sat, and caught a few fish, but traded them for a gopher tail.
My gun is no good it don't repeated, and am going to take it back tomarrow - mabe - yes.

Mon-21,
Took my gun back
Had a fight with Curtis today, not much damage done, nothing doing in school, some of the kids that skiped came to school, and M.D. taught music.
I guess I sing Alto, nice day today.

Tue 22
Papers didn’t come till 9:20.
Had a fight with H.B., in which Ijust threw him down on the sidewalk, I spose ma will give me Cain now I allways did have a grudge against him and was just going to hit him when some big fellows stoped me B. is the biggest baby in town, and when I get a chance, — whoop —ouch— poor B., the villian meaning H.B. lies dead upon the ground.
He was throwing a gunny sack which the kids had filled with mud and water, (altho I don't touch or go near B.) I threw at Carrol B., they were out courting M.K. so I guess didn't like it. They threw it back and so did and I hit B. in the back of the neck, he came runing by and threw it, I ducked it, and B. grabbed the sack again to throw. I duck it again and tackled him on my knees, as he was coming fast he rolled me over, and I came out on top. He hit his head on the front step of Rue's and just then the big kids came, I asked him if he had enough and I guess he was pretty near bawling, so I just rub­bed my hand over his face (I had had that dirty sack in my hands, so they were all mudy).
Had a fight with Cooky too, just a scramble for a broom to mop the kids faces.
Dance tonite, the band came over and played, it cost $1.10, then played at U graduation, too.

Wed 23.
Rain last nite, cold as winter in the tent, when I came to school B. didn't even look at me- This noon when I got home, I just settled down to read my Lone Scout when Curtis came a whoopin in there with a Hun helmet (the Kaisers!), he said pa got it for selling V Bonds.
Pa sold $95.00 hundred dollars worth and won the helmit.
A tank was in town today, and all the kids were over to the tracks to see it.
We were jumping all over it, and moving in guns when Ford chased us off. That's the first, tank I ever was on, altho I have seen them before, (no thanks to Ford) at the fair grounds, I was in a airplane too, (no thanks to Ford for that either) (God bless him) (?) getting winter again, cold as blazes outside, rather wish I slept in the house now, got to get an oral essay for English 1. Oh my gosh —
I don't belive there will be a L.S.A. [Lone Scouts of America] meet tonite, my gun is still up to Byork and Standals [hardware store].

Thurs 24,
Scout meeting tonite. 6 there when there is suppose to be 60.
My gun is still up to Byork and Standals, I wonder when they will have it fixed. I want it Sat. It was not so cold out yesterday as the day before. Ole is starting a resturant and I went in there, I seen two wires hanging out and touch them together, oh you spark. Ole was going to kick me out. I hope it burned out a fuse plug. Curtis is not selling his share of po­tatoes and had said I could, we get half of the money. Dad went to the city [Minneapolis] today, he said he would get me a wireless key.

Fri. 25
Tarzan of the Apes is to nite, it is 35c, I am going if it costs a $1.00, In the Red Book magzine at Shirleys, the author of Tarzan has quite a few short stories of Tarzan, every month.
I missed two of them, the only one I saw was the “Golden Locket by E. R. B. [Edgar Rice Burroughs]
Arnold is going to get the other copys from M. S. I am going to read them to, The new ones are “Tarzan the Untamed” I am crazy over Tarzan books, going to sell potatoes tonite with Johnnie Walsh, he got 5c on every bu., we sell potatoes at 75c and they are great big ones. Had a Phy. test today, nice day but rather cold –

Sat. 26- 1919
I don’t write my diarys on Sat. and sun., but only on school days, It is so hard to remember that I don’t know what to write, after this they will be very short.
P.S. Did not go hunting; as my gun was up to B&S. Tarz.an of the apes tonite, I did not go! but read the books A.B. got.

Sun. 27
Had to go hunting today, did not get anything.
Had a swell potato fight up town tonite.
Cowdon had thrown lots of rotten potatos out, and we got a whole pail full, there was a whole bunch of little kids out town and we stayed until ten chasing them, it sure was fun to hear a rotten potato go home, and they usually left quite a mark, especially rotten ones.
There was Squeak, Stub, Russell, and I. Stub tore my pants and I had to wear my new suit. I don't like a new suit, because I can not play hard, unless I put my coveralls on, I got a pair a high boots yesterday.

Mon.28,
Cold as blazes out in the tent, nothing doing in school to day.
When I carne home I had to work, sprouting potatoes, so did Curtis, had another potatoe fight and the whole bunch, pretty near got put in the coop. Squeak broke a window —

Tue. 29,
Pa said we had to give our rifels to him, as Moran said that someone told him, we killed a dog.
I asked ma if I could quit Algebra, and she said no, she will get a jar when my report comes in — ouch.
Nice day, one of my butterfly hatched out, had to work after school, like fun, I made a mistake then so forgive me, Allah.

Wend 30
Lone Scout came today, rained, was going to sell spuds.
No meeting tonite I went to the "Spoilers" [movie] at the show house, it cost 15c, I bought "The Beast of Tarzan!" It cost 65c.

Dorry Shaw Intro | Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

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